After over 60 inmates of a jail in Raisen district were found to have contracted coronavirus, the Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday said no person will be admitted to a prison in the state before undergoing a test.
The government also announced suspension of the jailer of Bareli sub-jail. Sixty-four inmates and three guards from the jail were found to be infected with coronavirus on Monday.
Minister for Home and Jail Narottam Mishra said on Tuesday evening some of the coronavirus-infected prisoners had been shifted to neighbouring Vidisha district while others were isolated in the jail itself.
"Forty-one of the infected prisoners have been shifted to Vidisha Medical College (hospital), while the remaining ones are undergoing treatment at the COVID care centre on the jail premises," he said, adding that those seriously ill will be shifted to Bhopal.
"From now on, we will make arrangements for coronavirus tests of new prisoners before they are admitted to any jail in the state. Only after clearing the test the person can enter the jail. Till then, the person will be put in quarantine cell," Mishra said.
"As per the preliminary inquiry report, the jailer of Bareli sub-jail, Vinay Jandelwal, has been found to be at fault. I have issued the order to suspend him," the minister added.
The administration in Raisen had went into tizzy after 67 people -- 64 inmates and three jail guards were found positive for the virus on Monday.
After several inmates and some guards showed cough and cold symptoms, the administration collected their swab samples on Sunday evening and the test report was received on Monday evening. Soon after, senior officials from police and administration landed at the sub-jail.
After the jail premises was sanitised, a COVID-19 centre was set up inside the jail for treating the prisoners, while the guards were sent to Raisen for treatment.
Sources claimed that slackness was evident on the part of jail administration as several fugitive and petty criminals were also lodged inside the sub-jail and several of them were sent inside without medical examination which perhaps triggered the covid19 outbreak in the jail.
A medical officer posted in Bareli said it was suspected that some newly admitted inmates spread the infection in the jail.
Till Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases have risen to 217 in Raisen, including five deaths, while 108 people have recovered from the the infection.
(With inputs from PTI)
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